Ralph Spellman Gillum was in Magnolia Grove, Gulfport MS, at home, on April 19, 1951 to Alice Ruth and Autobe Spellman Gillum.  Ralph was the youngest of three children, with Hortense being the oldest and Robert Sr in the middle.

Ralph graduated from 33rd Ave high school in 1969 and at 19 he was drafted into the US Army to go to Vietnam at the young age of 19.  At that young age he served as Helicopter Gunner Crew Chief.  When he returned from Vietnam, he served with the National Guard Helicopter Unit at Gulfport Airfield for 10 years.

1979 was memorable year for Ralph, he began working for Chiquita Brand in Gulfport MS as a Certified Refrigeration Mechanic and became a lifelong International Longshoremen.  This was also the year that he married JoAnn Dawson on May 9th.  Ralph and JoAnn had one daughter together, Monecia, in 1980.  JoAnn brought one daughter, Tanya, from a previous relationship to the marriage, and Ralph, true to his responsible, caring, and genuine character, he officially adopted her as his own.  She would go on to fall in love with all his hobbies as well.

After 30 years, Ralph retired from Chiquita Brand in 2009.  While at Chiquita Brand, Ralph had also started his own business, Reliable Maintenance Services, where he used his HVAC License to service and repair refrigeration and HVAC units.

One of Ralph's passions was Chevrolet Corvettes.  Over the decades Ralph has owned many cars, with ten of them being Corvettes that he would get because the body style has changed.  He would keep them just long enough to get ownership of the new style out of his system.

Not being able to sit still for too long, Ralph kept a steady line of projects going if he wasn't working in his maintenance business. He would be building, remodeling or upgrading something that was already good to begin with, he just needed it to be great.  It could have been updating the ceiling so that it would recessed or building a gazebo that was supposed to had been for shade that turned into a exercise pool house or adding a completely new room to his house. He had a way of seeing everything and everyone for what their greatness could be.  He would let you know you could be doing something great in his own quiet way.

Ralph leaves behind his wife of nearly 47 years, JoAnn Dawson-Gillum; two daughters, Monecia Gillum and Tanya Gillum-Larkin (Fiancé Gerald Wynn & 3 bonus sons, Kevin, Kirk & Kolby); 4 grandchildren, Teraye Gillum-Morrissette, Julien Gillum, Idaylia Larkin & Brayden Larkin.  Sister Hartense (the late Alfred) Brown, brother Robert (Celeste) Gillum, Sr; Nieces Patty & Donna Ford; Nephew Sean (Rebecca) Gillum.  Ralph is preceded in death by his father Autobe Gillum, mother Ruth Gillum, and nephew Robert Gillum, Jr.